Baseball Brings in 13 GNAC Honors, Del Prete Coach of the Year

WINTHROP, Mass. – Suffolk baseball took a total of 13 postseason awards by the GNAC for the 2019 season highlighted by head coach Anthony Del Prete's second straight Coach of the Year nod, the league office announced Tuesday.

In his fifth season as skipper, Del Prete led the Rams to a feat never accomplished before in the program's storied history, back-to-back GNAC regular-season titles. The blue-and-gold put together a 14-2 league ledger to top the nine-team for the second time in as many years and eighth time in program history. As the top seed, the Rams secured a first-round bye in the conference tournament for the third consecutive campaign, third season in the Del Prete and 10th time overall. Suffolk's run to its fifth conference crown came up short, however, ending in the semfinals. Del Prete was recognized by his peers as the best coach of the league for the second straight season and third time in his career.  

The 13 Rams acknowledged are the most of any program among the league this season. Of Suffolk's recipients, three picked up first team – Tim Brigham, Blase Cormier and Will Hopkins – three sat on the second team – Rich Gilbride, Steven Rossi, and Connor Troio – two took home third team honors – Rich Giandrea and Trevor Lee – with four Rams gloves being named the top defensive players at their respective positions on the all-defensive team – Charles Batchelder, Cormier, Hopkins and Lee.  

Brigham, a first-time honoree, made his presence known at the plate on the conference, regional and national level. The junior, who hails from Cape Elizabeth, Maine, had a knack for barreling the ball for doubles with 23 of his 60 total hits going for two bases. The righty hitter brought in 45 runs on a .390/.428/.597 slash line and scored 20 himself. 

Sophomores Cormier and Hopkins each earned their second all-league honor and first, first-team nod.  

Cormier, a fixture at first base over his two seasons at Suffolk, the Wayland, Massachusetts, native had a career season at the dish with 58 hits on a .336 average with 30 RBI and 33 runs scored. In the field, he notched a .994 fielding percentage with just a pair of errors over 338 total chases to pick up all-defensive recognition for the second time in as many seasons.  

Hopkins, who moved from left to center with the departure of one of the most decorated players in Suffolk history, Brady Chant, the sophomore picked up where Chant left on as the backbone of the Rams' defense. The sophomore filled the void errorlesslly, literally, as he successfully fielding his 105 chances in center for an unblemished fielding percentage en route to all-league defensive status as well. Offensively, he produced 47 hits at a .336 hitting clip to bring in 25 runs. The sophomore's stealth on the bases paid off as well, as he swiped 18 bases and came in for 37 runs.   

Gilbride was an all-league selection as infielder for the second straight season and second-team honoree for the first time in his career. The junior shortstop tallied 42 hits 24 RBI, as the Rams' lead-off, batting .294 with 36 runs scored and 14 stolen bases.  

Rossi threw his way to all-league status. In his collegiate debut season, the rookie RHP was one of Suffolk's core hurlers in the Rams' rotation. The Corning, New York, product threw 44.1 innings over eight appearances, all starts, for a 6-1 record with his lone loss coming to regional powerhouse Tufts. His 3.25 ERA was the best amongst the blue-and-gold's starting arms, while his 30 punchouts were good for fourth among Suffolk's staff.  

Troio saved his best season for last. The senior designated hitter compiled a career season on a .333 batting average with 26 hits including seven doubles, for 19 RBI and 12 runs scored en route to the first all-league nod of his career with a spot on the second team.  

Lee repeated as a third-team and all-defensive player pick. The senior captain from Flanders, New Jersey, upstaged his career campaign from a year ago by eight hits, outputting 40 on a .296 average with 19 RBI, 10 stolen bases and 32 runs scored.  

Giandrea gained his first all-conference selection. The third-team outfielder notched 35 hits, 21 RBI and 15 runs in his sophomore season. 

Batchelder wrapped up his collegiate campaign on the all-defensive team. The feat is not only a first for the RHP, but marks the first time a Suffolk pitcher picked up accomplishment. The RHP from Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, put together a perfect fielding percentage on the bump over eight appearances and seven starts. Pitching wise, he tallied a 4.40 ERA over 43.0 frames of action and struck out 31 for a 5-1 ledger with three complete games. The senior captain also represented the Rams on the league's all-sportsmanship team, which was established to honor one player from each team in the conference for outstanding dedication to sportsmanship and for their portrayal of good sportsmanship, fair play and positive attitude.  

After the conclusion of the tournament Sunday night, Parker Browne and Kevin Sinatra as GNAC All-Tournament team selections. Browne, a sophomore RHP, earned the shout out after shoving 2.0 scoreless, hitless innings with three strikeouts in the elimination contest against Johnson & Wales, while Sinatra threw a complete-game, six-hit, three-run (one earned), one-walk, five-strikeout effort in the semifinals versus Saint Joseph's (Maine).  

Since joining the GNAC ranks in 2000, Suffolk has earned 186 All-GNAC honors, including four player of the year, five rookie of the year, five pitcher of the year, nine coaches of the year, 65 first-team, 51 second-team and 47 third-team selections. The Rams have received 49 all-tournament selections and eight tournament MVPs.  

2019 ALL-GNAC BASEBALL 

First Team
C – Greg Emanuelson, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
INF – Matt Warren, Albertus Magnus
INF – Kosta Drosidis, Anna Maria
INF – Joey Murphy, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
INF – Blase Cormier, Suffolk
OF – Jared Gagne, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
OF – Tim Brigham, Suffolk
OF – Will Hopkins, Suffolk
DH – Colby Greenhalgh, Johnson & Wales 
UTIL – David Marsell, Lasell
P – Jack Marzec, Anna Maria
P – Matt Bergeron, Saint Joseph's (Maine) 

Second Team
C – Joe Sullivan, Lasell
INF – Mike Browne, Albertus Magnus 
INF – Joe Maracic, Johnson & Wales
INF – Andre Marchesseault, Lasell 
INF – Rich Gilbride, Suffolk
OF – Tyriq Harris, Albertus Magnus 
OF – Kevin Lynch, Norwich
OF – Hunter Richardson, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
DH – Connor Troio, Suffolk
UTIL – Adam Twitchell, Anna Maria
P – James Smiegocki, Johnson & Wales
P – Steven Rossi, Suffolk

Third Team
C – Greg Gehring, Anna Maria
INF – Elijah Sptaj, Albertus Magnus
INF – Drew Healey, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
INF – Noah McDaniel, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
INF – Trevor Lee, Suffolk
OF – Armani Henderson, Johnson & Wales
OF – Fred Kakzalski, Rivier
OF – Rich Giandrea – Suffolk
DH – Adam Diehl, Johnson & Wales
UTIL – Tim Unczur, Colby Sawyer
P – Josh Mousseau, Johnson & Wales
P – Zach Begin, Saint Joseph's (Maine) 

All-Defensive Team
C – Greg Gehring, Anna Maria
1B – Blase Cormier, Suffolk
2B – Trevor Lee, Suffolk
3B – Andre Marchesseault, Lasell
SS – Joey Murphy, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
OF – Evan Michalek, Lasell
OF – Kevin Lynch, Norwich
OF – Will Hopkins, Suffolk
P – Charles Batchelder, Suffolk 

Player of the Year – Joey Murphy, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
Pitcher of the Year – Jack Marzec, Anna Maria
Rookie of the Year – Kosta Krosidis, Anna Maria
Coach of the Year – Anthony Del Prete, Suffolk
Institutional Sportsmanship Award – Rivier 

All-Sportsmanship Team
David Otero, Albertus Magnus
Justin Robbins, Anna Maria
Brendan Barrett, Colby Sawyer
Tim Lombardi, Johnson & Wales 
Brian Cohen, Lasell
Mike Lesco, Norwich
Simon Gonzalez, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
Charles Batchelder, Suffolk